Timeline for Snape's change of heart (was: Snape, Voldemort, and teaching)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 135416

mooseming proposed:
> > The timeline for Snape's change of heart, the protection of GH 
> > and Voldy's attack on same is difficult to explain in terms of 
> > good! Snape but I've come up with a model. 
<snip>
> > Essentially this timeline is based on a completely non canon 
> > assumption that the *only* record of births is kept at Hogwarts. 
<snip>
> > This means he needs to get into Hogwarts to access the complete 
> > record of births
> > 
> > So timeline is:
> > Snape overhears prophecy
> > Tells Voldy 
> > Voldy needs to identify who is prophecy boy
> > Something happens to Snape/Voldy dynamic which makes DETraitor!
> >    Snape
> > Snape joins DD becomes double agent
> > Voldy sends Snape to find info on babies at Hogwarts (possibly 
> >    Snape's suggestion)

Marianne:
> In response to one of your questions and one of your assumptions 
> about the Potters not going into hiding, JKR refutes this in her 
> recent interview.  When speaking of Harry's baptism she says that 
> had to be a very small gathering because Harry was already in 
> danger and the Potters already had gone into hiding.  So, it seems 
> that the Potters were in hiding from at least Harry's birth to his 
> parents' death 15 months later.


SSSusan:
Two thoughts here.  First, re: Mooseming's potential timeline.  
Could it be possible that Snape was *still* on the side of Voldy at 
the time he started working at Hogwarts?  Perhaps he was pretending 
to have joined DD's side but was still loyal to Voldy?  And then, he 
**did** get access to that list of births and, when he did, 
discovered James and Lily's son was on the list?  And *this* 
knowledge then caused him to switch sides for real?  Kinda thinking 
off the top of my head here (not very wise, I know), but it was just 
a thought that those steps might be reversed in the timeline?  Feel 
free to point out the ludicrousness of what I just said. ;-)

Second thought has to do with Marianne's mention of Harry's 
christening.  Here's the actual quote from the Edinburgh Book Fair:

Q:  Does Harry have a godmother? If so, will she make an appearance 
in future books?

A:  No, he doesn't. I have thought this through. If Sirius had 
married
 Sirius was too busy being a big rebel to get married. When 
Harry was born, it was at the very height of Voldemort fever last 
time so his christening was a very hurried, quiet affair with just 
Sirius, just the best friend. At that point it looked as if the 
Potters would have to go into hiding so obviously they could not do 
the big christening thing and invite lots of people. Sirius is the 
only one, unfortunately. I have got to be careful what I say there, 
haven't I?

SSSusan again:
It says Harry was born at "the very height of Voldemort fever," not 
specifically that Harry was in danger.  And it says "it looked *as 
if* the Potters would have to go into hiding," not that they already 
were.  This is perhaps a bit of nitpicking, but it does give a 
slightly different feel to things -- almost as if the WW and The 
Order were in danger in general, but not necessarily that the 
Potters/Harry were known to be specific targets at this point.

Siriusly Snapey Susan